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Kargil heroes head for Sierra Leone

An Indian infantry contingent, decorated for its role in last year's Kashmir conflict, will join the United Nations force in Sierra Leone next week, military sources said in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Around 800 troops of the 18th Grenadiers Regiment will leave India anytime after Monday to join some 1,600 Indian peacekeepers already in the African state, a military source said.

"The contingent will include Corporal Naik Yogender Singh Yadav who won the Param Vir Chakra last year," the source said, referring to India's highest military award.

The Grenadiers played a key role in the Kashmir conflict, helping wrest back the strategic 23,000-foot (6,969-metre) high Tiger Hills from Pakistan-backed forces.

Virtually the entire assault team was decorated after the Tiger Hills operation.

The military source said the Grenadiers would be flown to Russia and then sent to join the beleagured UNAMSIL.

"Their presence will be good for the morale of the Indian soldiers there," he added.

India on Tuesday described as "grim" the situation in Sierra Leone and said efforts were being made to free up to 50 of its troops being held hostage by the Revolutionary United Front.

The RUF has been holding nearly 300 UNAMSIL soldiers hostage since the crisis started on May 2.

An army spokesman said the RUF fighters have not ill-treated the hostages.

"UNAMSIL Force Commander Major General V K Jetley is attempting to organise a meeting of various leaders in Sierra Leone (on the hostage crisis)," he said.

Part of the Indian peacekeeping contingent had been assigned the task of defending Lungi airport outside the national capital.

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